


Answers

by CutePoops



Category: Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse)
Genre: ADA - Freeform, Action, B.O.W., Bio Organic Weapons | B.O.W.s (Resident Evil), Evil, F/M, Fear, Guns, Horror, Infected, Mystery, Romance, Shooting, Survival, Terror, Undead, Zombies, burn - Freeform, leon - Freeform, resdent, slow, slowburn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:54:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27747079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CutePoops/pseuds/CutePoops
Summary: Since the events that unfolded in China six months ago, Leon has been searching for answers. After several failed attempts to track Ada Wong, he's called in to investigate an outbreak in California's capitol. Funny thing is, Miss Wong has a habit for showing up whenever there are B.O.W.s afoot. Will Leon be able to reunite with Ada and finally hear the truth? Post RE6 LeonxAda
Relationships: Leon S. Kennedy/Ada Wong
Kudos: 13





	1. The Last Place You Look

Leon stepped lightly down the wet sidewalk of a nearly deserted downtown Sacramento, gun in hand. California's capitol had been evacuated the previous day, when news of a B.O.W. Outbreak had reached D.C. Once the majority had been evacuated to medical camps stationed outside city limits, the entire city had been quarantined. Every exit and entrance, blocked. It appeared as though no living humans remained. Even the zombie's numbers were low. The main streets had already been cleared by the B.S.A.A. As if punctuating this assertion, machine gun shots fired off in the distance. The evidence of what had occurred could be seen in the carnage that was left behind.

Wrecked and abandoned vehicles blocked the roads. Storefronts and windows had been smashed to pieces. Bodies littered the streets. It was easy to imagine the chaos that led up to the city's current state. Leon only had to close his eyes to hear the screams. According to his briefing, the incident began roughly around 9pm, the day before last. The first 911 calls came from the capitol building, making it a likely location for the initial outbreak. The yet unidentified virus spread quickly, and the city was enveloped in chaos. Fortunately, the appropriate authorities were informed immediately. Within 24 hours, a perimeter of barricades had been set up, and all survivors who made it out were sent to quarantine camps to ensure no infected were allowed to escape and spread the virus. B.S.A.A. officers had been dispatched throughout the city to locate survivors while clearing infected. Leon, however, had different orders. He was here to find out what the hell happened to cause this mess.

"The one up side to this shit happening over and over is that we're at least getting more efficient about cleaning it up," Leon's mouth curled in a sour smirk. He was used to being alone among throngs of the undead, forced to fend for himself against hundreds of hungry foes. It was unusual for the veteran B.O.W. hunter to show up this late in the game. This looked like it was going to be a walk in the park. A park with corpses scattered about.

The reason for his tardiness was that he had been out of the country on personal business. He'd received intel on the possible whereabouts of a woman he had been trying to track for months. His search had taken him to France, but the lead turned out to be fruitless. Just the most recent in a series of failed attempts. It was almost a relief when he got the call from HQ. At least this was a problem he knew how to tackle. Sidestepping a corpse, the special agent made his way toward the capitol building. The state of the roads made it impossible to proceed in a vehicle. A nearby street sign indicated he only had a few more blocks to go. A voice sounded from his headset.

"Leon, what's the situation there?"

"I'm sure you can guess, Hunnigan."

The operations coordinator sighed audibly. "Pretend I have no idea."

Leon couldn't help but grin. In the years he'd worked with Ingrid Hunnigan, she had loosened her no-nonsense, business only persona a bit. It never ceased to amuse him when he was able to annoy her. "Well, as you can imagine, the city's a mess. On the bright side, the B.S.A.A. has done a pretty good job taking out infected. I haven't encountered any hostiles yet."

"Good. Let's hope it stays that way," before he was able to respond with sarcasm, she continued, "Have you reached the capitol building yet?"

"No, but I'm not far from it. I can see it up ahead."

"Proceed cautiously, Leon. My reports show that that building hasn't been cleared yet. It seems B.S.A.A. officers have only done a run through the main roads so far. As far as we know, the capitol building could be teeming with B.O.W.s"

"Yeah, that sounds like my luck," Kennedy grumbled. "Don't worry, Hunnigan. I've been in worse situations than this."

"I know, but that's no reason to let your guard down."

"My guard is all the way up. I promise. I'm approaching the building now. I'll let you know what I find," without waiting for a response, he added, "Leon out."

Broken glass crunched under his steel toe boots, as he stepped into the courtyard of the huge, white building. It was all pristine white columns and ornate molding, a giant dome rising from its center. If it wasn't surrounded by corpses and wreckage, it would be a lovely sight. The steps leading to the building's double doors were slick with blood. It was no wonder, seeing what remained of several bodies, strewn about. The entrance's double doors were half open, with what remained of a body holding the left side ajar.

"What a welcome mat."

Pushing the right side open, Leon carefully stepped over the zombie's dinner leftovers. The interior of the building didn't look much better. Looking over the large, circular room, it was clear that a massacre had occurred. The black and white checkered tiles were splattered with blood and remains. There were few bodies on the ground, but plenty ambling about the room, taking jerky steps on rotting legs. The intricately molded walls curved into a balcony overhead. Above that, the ceiling stretched up to form the interior of the huge dome he had seen outside, the very top made of glass, letting streams of sunlight into the otherwise unlit room. In the center of the room was a statue depicting three figures. It appeared to be a Queen, a man, and a child. The acoustics of the vast room made the soft moans of the scattered undead bounce around eerily.

Still at the entrance, Leon did a quick hostile count. There were at least two dozen that he could see. The hallways branching off the main room were likely to hold even more. Even if he was willing to waste the ammo, firing his gun would only draw more to his location. While the virus at work here hadn't been identified yet, it's effects seemed familiar. These zombies were reminiscent of those he had faced in Raccoon City so many years ago.

"Slow and stupid," he mused. "I can work with this."

Kennedy slowly crept his way around the perimeter of the room. His goal was the hallway to his right. It was as good a place as any to start searching, and getting out of the open would reduce his chance of being surrounded. Keeping his eyes on the zombies nearest to him, Leon continued forward, even going as far to mimic the movements of an infected to avoid detection. Nearing the open hallway, he was pleased to see it was free of B.O.W.s. Leon was about to congratulate himself on making it through undetected when a shrill scream echoed out from down the hallway he was about to enter. The tawny haired man froze in place. At once, every head in the room turned to face him.

"Fuck."

Leon made a mad dash away from his new friends. He glanced into each open room he passed, searching for the source of the scream. While some held infected, there wasn't a living human in sight. The hallway filled with shuffling bodies behind him. There was no time to search any more thoroughly. To his right, a door marked "staff" came into view. Fortunately, it was unlocked, and the former police officer threw himself through it, slamming it shut behind him. He twisted the lock and turned to scan the room for something to block the door with. Instead, he found a gun pointed at his face.

"Well, well, well…" a low, velvety voice purred from behind the barrel. "Look who decided to drop in for a visit. I know you miss me, but now really isn't a good time."

Lowering the weapon, short, jet-black hair came into view, followed by piercing eyes and a cat-like smile.

Leon's breath caught in his throat as he stared at the woman he had been searching for the past six months. "Ada!"

The woman cocked her head slightly and smirked, "Long time no see."

o-o-o-o-o-o

Six months previous, Leon Kennedy had been at a loss. He had helped stop what might have been the end of the known world, but in the end, he was left with more questions than answers. On paper, it was stated that the mastermind behind the whole ordeal was none other than Ada Wong. It was also on paper that she had been taken out. Leon had failed to correct this misinformation, and without being prompted, Helena had done the same. He did feel guilty for hiding the truth, but if it got out that Wong was alive, she would be on every most wanted list. He only wondered if that was what she deserved. According to documentation, she had planned on infecting the entire world, and nearly succeeded. The C-Virus had been distributed to so many victims. The damage was extensive. Chris Redfield himself was witness to several murders at Wong's hands.

Despite this information, Leon just couldn't bring himself to believe Ada was really the one responsible. He'd known her to be secretive, and sometimes even untrustworthy, but never had he seen her harm anyone (or thing) that hadn't had it coming. Not to mention all the times she had saved his life. Lying and stealing he could believe, but effectively destroying the world? It just didn't add up. If for no other reason, there was nothing for her to gain from such an act. She had always worked with personal gain in mind. Senseless destruction doesn’t typically pay well.

So began his personal mission to find the woman and ask her himself. Unfortunately, this was easier said than done. She was like a shadow. Every time he tried to shine a light on her, she became less visible. He used all his personal time, tracking leads and listening to whispers. It was all in vain. His most recent tip that had taken him to France had him nearing the end of his patience. This quest had become his obsession. He had to know the truth about Ada Wong.

o-o-o-o-o-o

The sound on several bodies slamming into the locked door snapped Leon out of his stupor. Coming to his senses, he noticed a large, wooden bookshelf against the wall, next to the door. He threw himself against it, but it barely moved. Ada clicked over on red heels and helped push it in front of the door. She wore a black pencil skirt and a white button-down blouse. A black choker circled her slender neck, with an oval ruby centered over her throat. Being this close to the woman he had been so desperately searching for felt surreal. He feared taking his eyes off her, knowing she'd disappear the second he did.

After securing the door, the mercenary walked back to where she had been previously, in front of a wall of security monitors, and removed a thumb-drive from one of the present computer towers. She placed it in her bra, as she turned to face Leon who had yet to find words.

"So, did you come all this way to see little old me, or are you here on other business?" She folded her arms and leaned against the wall.

"I'm here to find out who caused this mess," The agent took a step closer, "And I found you."

Ada let out a gasp, feigning shock and holding her hand to her heart. "Why, Leon, are you accusing me of all people? And, here I thought we were friends."

"According to a lot of people, you did a lot worse in China."

"What about you, hm?" She closed the gap between herself and Kennedy, "Do you believe I was responsible?"

It was hard for Leon to think with Ada so close. The faint scent of her perfume was enough to make him forget everything he'd wanted to say to her. Even the pounding on the door felt far away and unimportant. Forcing himself back on track, he locked eyes with the woman who haunted his dreams. "I don't know what to believe."

"The answer is simple." Wong sat on the edge of the security desk, "What could I possibly have to gain from spreading the C-Virus? Have you ever known me to do anything without reason?"

"I never know why you do anything!"

Ada laughed at the outburst, "Poor thing. You're just so confused, aren't you? I love that look on you. It reminds me of a lost puppy. So cute."

Leon clenched his fist, "This isn't a joke, Ada. I've been looking for you. I want to know the truth. About what happened. About what you are."

The smile left the woman's face. "What I am is out of time for your little Q and A session."

She got up and made for the unblocked exit of the room. Leon grabbed her wrist before she could escape.

"I saw a video," he began. She froze at the statement. "I saw someone being born… from some sort of cocoon. She… looked like you."

Ada turned to face the special agent, and responded nonchalantly, "Yeah, she did look like me, didn't she?"

Kennedy loosened his grip, a sense of relief washing over him. "Who was she?"

"Does it even matter?" shaking her wrist from Leon's grasp, she turned herself away once more. "She's dead now, and all evidence of her existence has been destroyed. It's over and done with. Let it go."

"How am I supposed to 'let it go'?" The man raised his voice, frustration returning. "I just want to know what really happened. I can help you clear your name."

Ada chuckled, "And why would I want to do that? The world thinks I'm dead, and that works out just fine for me."

"Well, that's not fine with me," He spun her around, to look her in the eyes, leaving his hands on her shoulders. "I want to know more than just the truth about China. I want to know you. I can't do that if you're in hiding."

For a moment, the raven-haired woman was at a loss for words. It was not a familiar feeling for her. She met his gaze, taking in his face. The years had turned the baby-faced youth she had met so many years ago into a battle-hardened man. He had clearly missed a shave or two, and fine lines were beginning to form around his eyes. If anything, he was more handsome now than when they had met. However, she didn't have the luxury of entertaining these thoughts.

"What do you think this is? Some kind of soap opera?" She backed away, removing herself from Leon's touch. "Five minutes ago, you thought I was some freak, born in a lab. Now what? You want to take me out for dinner?"

"Ada, I-"

"You can't be everyone's knight in shining armor, Leon," a loud crack, alerted them to the door breaking behind the bookshelf.

Kennedy looked from the door back to Wong. He didn't know how to respond, and it was clear that they were running out of time. Her eyes were locked on the bookshelf as she backed away, towards the rear exit of the room.

"Let's just get out of here, and-" before he could finish his sentence, the shelf came crashing down. The splintered remains of the door were pushed aside by the throng of undead fighting to get through.

Ada was already exiting the room, and Leon quickly followed, calling out, “Ada! Hold on!”

There were infected in this hallway, but far fewer than what they faced in the other direction. Kennedy pulled out his knife, holding it in conjunction with his gun. He tried to catch up to the mercenary, but she was ridiculously quick on her feet. Effortlessly dodging the undead in her path, she turned a corner and vanished from site. Leon not being as acrobatic, was left trailing behind, forced to deal with the zombies the spy left in her wake. A door slammed shut out of sight. He followed her path, turning left around a bend. There were several doors she could have taken. It seemed hopeless to continue chasing her. Taking out a nearby zombie with a knife to it's brain, he chose the nearest doorway, and hoped for the best. To his surprise, he was greeted by a vase, flying toward his head, accompanied by a familiar shriek.

Leon dodged the ceramic vessel and turned his attention to his attacker. Crouched behind a desk was a well-dressed black woman who looked like she had just survived a nightmare. Her lavender skirt suit was ripped and stained. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she had little cuts and bruises all over the exposed parts of her limbs. The lady appeared to be in her thirties, with her hair pulled back into a large bun on the back of her head.

"Are… you alive?" The woman asked in a shaky voice.

"Well, I don't want to eat you, if that's what you're worried about."

She slumped her shoulders in relief, supporting herself with the desk she had been ducking behind. "Thank god… I thought I was the only one left."

"Far from it," he responded encouragingly. "The B.S.A.A. is making their rounds, and all of the survivors are in quarantine camps outside of the city. Don't worry. You're getting out of here."

The woman teared up, finally seeing the light at the end of a long dark tunnel.

"At least one woman is happy to see me," he muttered under his breath.

The woman gasped, bringing Leon out of his pity party. Her eyes locked behind him, and he knew the drill. Spinning on his heel, he came face to face with a nasty looking B.O.W. In the chaos of his entry, Kennedy had forgotten to close the door behind him. How the zombie had managed to sneak up so quietly was another question entirely. He raised his knife up and slammed it into the monster's eye. Blood poured out of the wound, a bit splashing Leon's face as he removed his weapon. As his enemy fell to the floor, the wails of it's brethren echoed down the hall.

He held out his hand to the survivor as she crept out from behind her hiding spot, "Come on. It's time to go."

  
  
  
  



	2. Knight in Shining Leather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leon finds a survivor in his pursuit of Ada Wong. Is this woman a friend or foe? Can Leon get her out alive?

The past 48 hours had been a living nightmare for Evelyn Davis. In the seven years she had worked as a tour guide in the Capitol Building Museum, never had she experienced such horror. There had been bomb threats, fights, robberies, but walking corpses was a whole new level of on the job danger. Of course, she had seen the news stories about these B.O.W.s. She had gasped and made comments to her husband about how terrible it must be, how her heart went out to the victims. Living it, however, was the only way to truly understand the extent of what these viruses can do. The night it happened, Evelyn had volunteered to stay late. There was a new display going up, and she had been happy to assist in getting it tour ready.

The first sign of something being wrong, was the fire alarm going off. Davis had been confused, knowing that no drill had been scheduled.

She looked at her coworker, Frank, who she had been assisting with the display, "You think there's really a fire?"

"You really want to find out?" He dropped his tools next to their project. "C'mon, Lynn. Let's head out to the plaza. Either way, they'll want us out of the building."

"True enough," She sighed and stood up from her crouch, smoothing down her lilac skirt. "Let's go, then."

As they made their way to the nearest exit, a scream could be heard over the alarms. The pair exchanged a look. Without words, they made the decision to check out the source of the cry. Making a left down a corridor, a crowd could be seen ahead. Picking up the pace, they made a beeline for the scene ahead. In the center of the crowd, a woman was on the ground, holding her neck, gurgling out cries of pain. Two more sat on each side of her, attempting to assist with the wound. A little behind the crowd three men were trying to wrestle a fourth to the wall. The man resisted, groaning and spitting, blood dripping down his chin. The crazed look in his eyes sent chills down Evelyn's spine.

"What's going on here?" Evelyn asked, trying to get a handle on the situation.

"That fucker bit her!" A young man in an oversized suit jacket blurted out, eyes wide. Likely a new intern, since Davis didn't recognize him. "He bit her right on the neck!"

Frank circled around the crowd to help subdue the attacker, and Evelyn passed her gaze over the onlookers. They all gaped at the scene before them. One even had her phone out to record the tragedy as it unfolded.

"Has anyone called the police?" The group exchanged blank looks. The woman glared at the girl taking video. "So, you have time to record, but not call a paramedic? Lord, help me…" Davis had left her on cell in her purse, so she snatched the one from the hands of the callous onlooker.

"Yes, hello? I'd like to report an emergency…" she paced the hall as she gave the details to the 911 operator.

"Do you think this is like what happened in D.C.?" The young intern asked nervously. "Like, you know… what are they? Bows?"

"Shut up, Will," another voice answered. "You're not helping."

"I mean it…" Will stammered, "What if it is that? We have to get out of here! It's, like, a virus! It spreads when they bite you!"

"I said shut up!"

Evelyn tried to ignore the exchange as she relayed as much information as she could to the operator, giving them her exact location.

The room got quiet as the victim's screams died out, and her body went still. The only sounds to be heard were the fire alarm, accompanied by the grunts and growls of the struggling attacker. Davis paused to put her eyes on the woman.

"Is she…?" Evelyn paused. The two who had been assisting the woman looked away from what was now a lifeless body. One met her eyes with a look that said everything. Suddenly, that expression changed into one of shock as a rattling sigh escaped the injured woman's lips. Davis forgot she was on the phone as she witnessed the corpse begin to jerk and convulse.  
The crowd began to back away, the two makeshift nurses following suit. The bloody woman slowly lifted her body upright. The intern, Will, immediately turned tail and ran just as the walking corpse lunged at the nearest human. The zombie's target was able to dodge, and a man's scream drew everyone's attention. Distracted by the unfolding chaos, the men holding down the first zombie had relaxed their guard. The beast had managed to get a hold of Frank.

"Frank! No!" Evelyn cried, too late. The man's shoulder had already been torn into by gnashing teeth.

There was no time for the woman to mourn her friend. The female zombie rushed forward, snarling, as gore dripped from her throat. Davis was nearly knocked over, as the others rushed passed. The male corpse had lost interest in Frank and had also set it's eyes on the only stationary human in the hallway. Snapping out of her shock-induced stupor, she spun around into a sprint. Her low heels clacking across the floor. Remembering the cell in her hand, she shouted into the receiver.

"There's two now! I think they're infected with that virus!" Evelyn chanced a look over her shoulder. Her pursuers still followed, but fortunately, they didn't travel fast. "We need as many officers as you've got! They're biting people and spreading it!"

Screams and shouts erupted from up ahead. Turning the corner, the tour guide froze in her tracks. The rotunda was teeming with the undead. Her colleges had run right into the thick of it. Some were being feasted on, while others were running back towards Davis.

"It's too late!" sobbed the intern as he limped toward the older woman, blood soaking the left leg of his suit. "They're everywhere!"

The phone slipped out of Evelyn's hand as she took in what she was seeing. It was a waking nightmare, too terrible to be true. She quickly collected herself, and decided to try a different route. Turning back down the hall. She decided on the next closest exit. The alarms continued to blare as she made her way through the building. More screams could be heard from different directions. A series of gunshots sounded from upstairs. The woman rounded another corner only to see a group of monsters pouring through an open set of double doors. The moans crept up from where she had come. Making a snap decision, Evelyn went through a door into an office. She slammed and locked the door. A large cupboard caught her attention. She emptied the storage receptacle, making enough room for her body. Closing the doors over herself, the relative safety of her location allowed her a moment to break down. Her body shook as she sobbed quietly into her hands. She thought of her husband, Derek, wondering if she'd ever see him again. She prayed her hiding place would keep her safe until help could arrive. 

It was hard for her to determine how long she hid. It felt like hours, it felt like days. During her stay in the piece of antique furniture all she could occupy herself with was listening. Thumps, screams, gunshots, and the moans and grunts of the shambling undead making their way to new victims. At one point, she heard the sounds of a person stumbling into the room where she hid. The door was slammed shut behind them, as the person scrambled around the room, presumably hiding, or perhaps searching for something. Evelyn contemplated revealing herself, but stopped short, realizing this person could be infected themselves. As she guiltily justified staying still and quiet, the other human’s footsteps approached her cabinet. Davis held her breath, hoping the person on the other side of the doors wasn’t going to be a danger to her. Better yet, that they would change their mind and move on.

A sudden banging at the door interrupted Evelyn’s thoughts. It sounded like a body or bodies slamming against the wood. The human intruder gasped. The sound of a piece of furniture dragging across the floor ended in a thump. Perhaps a chair being placed under the doorknob. A splintering crunch signaled that the measure hadn’t helped. The human screamed, revealing that it was female. The moans got louder and hungrier. More cracks and crunches and the woman screamed again, louder and longer. Her cry suddenly sounded strangled and weak, gurgling off to meld with the sounds of feasting monsters. 

Evelyn sobbed quietly. Praying her hideout would protect her. The noises penetrating her closet making her stomach turn. There was nowhere for her to go. Nothing to do but listen to the woman she ignored be consumed. Guilt and fear consumed her thoughts. How long would she stay here? Would help even come? 

Hours passed, and silence surrounded Davis’ hiding place. The woman was out of tears. In fact, she was incredibly dehydrated. Her mouth felt like it was filled with cement. She knew she couldn’t stay in hiding forever. Cautiously, she cracked open the door. The room looked different from when she had last viewed it. The furniture was strewn about, the door hanging open, cracked and splintered. The carpet was stained with blood. Unidentifiable gore in place of the body Evelyn had expected to see.

“She must have turned…” The words slipped out of her mouth. Her voice sounded strained and alien.

Listening for sounds of danger, she awkwardly crept out of the cabinet. I just have to get out of here. She thought while peeking out of the room into the hallway. The way looked clear in both directions. She decided to take the direct route to the front of the building, when a shadow moved in that direction. Back way it is.

She decided to take off her heels before making a run for it. Better to be as quiet as possible, she thought. Evidence of the infection was everywhere. Bloody hand and footprints, scattered and broken furniture. A still body sprawled out in her path had been surrounded by a pool of blood. It’s middle had been eaten away. Spine was visible in the gore left behind. Evelyn tiptoed around it, trying and failing to avoid the puddle with her feet. Not getting too close to any open doorways, for fear of what might be lurking, Evelyn practically sprinted toward her goal. She slowed as she approached a bend in the hall, afraid she might skid into the wall on her nyloned feet. As she made the turn, she nearly came face to face with an undead nightmare. It appeared to have once been male. It’s jaw dangled from one side, with a writhing tongue lolling around restlessly. Upon seeing a fresh meal, it reached it’s arms out and sputtered out a cry. Evelyn was unable to hold back a shriek. She frantically twisted around and ran back the way she came. In her panic, she forgot about the body, and found herself slamming a foot into it’s wet, cold side. She went flying, landing in the sticky blood puddle and sliding across the tile floor.

As she struggled to pick herself up, she heard the zombie wail as it followed after her. She turned to see how close it was and was greeted by the sight of the half-eaten corpse she had tripped on dragging itself toward her. Scrambling in the slick bloody mess, Evelyn got to her feet. More monsters were appearing up ahead. Creeping out of the rooms she had passed earlier, alerted by her scream. She did the only thing she could think to do, and ran. She could at least be thankful that the creatures moved slowly as she wove around any danger on her way. She had no idea where she was running to at this point. She just knew she needed to move. The sound of a door slamming shut caught her attention, but there was no time to investigate. She continued forward until she reached the end of the hallway. The doors around her were locked. She pounded on them to no avail. Undead crept closer from the way she had come. She knew it was time to make a decision. She knew the windows were too thick for her to break through. The horde ahead of her wasn’t tightly packed. If she could somehow break through them, she could try again for the exit.

Prepping herself with a deep breath, she charged forward. To the left of the creature in front, to the right of the one trailing behind it. Arms reached out to grab her, nails biting into flesh. She heard fabric rip as she pushed through the nightmare horde. Miraculously, she made it without becoming lunch. She had no time to celebrate the success of her bravery however. While she had pushed through the heavier part of the crowd, more lingered further down the hall. It seemed every abomination in the building was making a beeline for her. The direction of the front exit was swarming, so she returned to her original plan of taking the closest back way. After what she had been through, she knew she could make it.

She turned the corner where she had met her first obstacle, finding it mostly deserted. The present zombies tried to come for her, but she moved quickly. Continuing forward, the former tour guide did her best to take the shortest path out of the building. What she would do after exiting was another thing entirely. Is it just as bad outside? What if it’s worse? What sounded like a person calling out caught Evelyn’s attention. Could that be another survivor? Maybe it would be safer to team up? A pang of regret hit her in the pit of her stomach. Maybe that’s what that woman thought earlier…  
Not allowing doubt to slow her down, Davis made a right, traveling toward what she hoped was another human. A door slammed shut a bit down the hall. Surely zombies don’t close doors behind them… She thought as she approached carefully. She had watched a movie or two, and decided it best not to rush in, in case the survivor had a gun and an itchy trigger finger. There was not, however, a whole lot of time to be wasting, as there were several undead making their way toward her from the other direction. She turned the knob, swinging the door outward, keeping her body away from the opening. The lack of any response from within encouraged her to peek inside. 

The room was empty. Perplexed, she scanned around the scene beyond the door. Surprisingly, the room seemed to be largely undisturbed in general. The groans to her left were getting closer, and it seemed some new friends had begun to approach from the other direction as well. Snapping back into preservation mode, she stepped inside the empty office, closing the door behind her. She was certain she had seen this room’s door close. The room appeared ro be an office of some sort. One she had never had a reason to visit in the past. There was no large furniture to hide inside like she had before. Walking around the desk in the center of the room, she crouched down to peer beneath it. No one. Did I really imagine it? Or… She looked around the room. There were no windows. An air vent was on the back wall, but it was no where near big enough for a person to fit inside. Footsteps echoed from outside the office. A crunch, followed by a soft wheeze. Evelyn stood up, frozen in fear. There was a console table behind the desk, against the wall. Searching for some sort of weapon, she settled on a large vase. She had barely wrapped her hands around it, when the door busted open. Without thinking, she let her fear control her arms, and launched the porcelain at the incoming intruder. She dropped down behind the desk as it shattered against the wall. Peaking over the mahogany, her eyes fell on a handsome man. He had apparently evaded her misguided assault, and was bringing himself to his full height, while regarding her with a concerned expression.

She slowly rose up as well, daring to ask, “Are… you alive?”

o-o-o-o-o-o

Leon waited for the survivor to come around the desk before leading the way forward. He decided to make bringing this woman to safety his priority before continuing with his mission. The barricades weren't far, and he thought he might be able to convince the B.S.A.A. to lend him a few men to help clear the museum, making his job easier.

"My name is Leon Kennedy," He told the woman as he walked. "What's your name?" He hoped a bit of conversation might calm the woman.  
"I'm Evelyn," She answered softly. "Evelyn Davis."

"Do you work here, Evelyn?"

"…Yes."

"That's good news," The man said reassuringly. "You can help me pick a good way out of here."

A pair of zombies ambled ahead. Leon fired a shot into the brain of one and ran up and rammed his knife up through the jaw of the second.

Evelyn watched in quiet awe as Kennedy removed his blade from the cadaver and wiped it clean on the monster's shirt. "I don't think there is one," she paused. "I've been trying every way I know, but these… things are everywhere."

The brunette went back into stance as he continued forward, keeping his eyes open for trouble. "Well, I guess we'll just have to take the path with the least amount of 'things'. I know the main entrance is out. Is there a back way that you know of?"

"There is, but when I tried that way before, there were so many of them."  
"Give me a number."

She thought for a moment, "I'm not sure at least a dozen."

"Are we talking, big open room, or a narrow hallway?"

Annoyed with all the questions, Davis raised a brow. "A hallway?"

"I can work with that," he decided, confidently. "Tell me which way to go."

Evelyn stopped and shook her head. "Just wait a second. Who are you?"

Leon came to a halt, turning his head, not his body. He crossed his arms impatiently, causing the leather of his black jacket to squeak softly. "I told you. Leon Kennedy."

"You know what I mean. Are you some kind of commando or something? "Cause I'm not following you into that death trap unless you've got some skills to back up this crazy plan of yours."

Kennedy sighed and faced the survivor. "I'm a special agent with the American government. I've been through this before. I know what I'm doing."

On cue, Hunnigan came through the line. "Leon, what is your status?"

The agent looked at Evelyn and tapped his ear to let her know he wasn't talking to her. "I found a survivor. An employee here. I'm going to escort her to the barricade."  
"What about your mission? Have you found any clues to what happened?"

"Not yet. This place is crawling with B.O.W.s. Do you think you can put in a request to the B.S.A.A. to prioritize clearing this building?"

"I'll do what I can, Leon."

"Thanks, Hunnigan. Leon out," ending the transmission, he met Evelyn's gaze. "You ready?"

"I swear to god, if you get me killed, I will haunt you," she answered, cocking her head in the direction they needed to travel and beginning to walk.

Leon's mouth curled at the corners. "This might be a first," he thought. Leon Kennedy was not used to women listening to him.

o-o-o-o-o-o


	3. What a Bombshell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It seems there's more to this outbreak than meets the eye. New players make the scene as we follow our survivors into the depths of the mystery surrounding the capitol building.

The way to the exit was littered with the undead, but Leon led the way, methodically disposing of the monsters as they appeared in their path. Wanting to conserve ammunition, he relied heavily on his blade. Evelyn couldn't help but be impressed. It was clear the man was telling the truth when he said he knew what he was doing. She left point to him and made it her business to check their rear constantly. She'd been snuck up upon enough times during this ordeal to go more than a few steps without checking over her shoulder. The pair made good time, leaving a trail of bodies along the way.  
The path ahead appeared to be clear, so Kennedy decided to ask his new acquaintance some questions. "Do you have any idea what happened to cause this?"

"No clue," Davis replied, stepping over a broken chair. "One minute, I was putting together a gold-mining display, the next all hell was breaking loose."

"How did you manage to survive this whole time?"

She let out a tired giggle, "Mostly, by hiding in a closet."

"Hey, whatever works, right?"

The woman laid a hand on Leon's back, signaling him to stop. "That door up ahead," she whispered, gesturing to the blandest entrance in the hallway. "That hallway will lead us out."

"Great. Let's go," he stepped lightly up to the door, gun raised, supported by his knife hand. He gestured to his companion to stay back. Holding that knife with two fingers, he used the remaining three to slowly open the door. "Well, that's definitely 'at least twelve'."

The cramped hallway was a sea of infected. It stretched out at least thirty feet, with a door or two lining the sides. The zombies were practically shoulder to shoulder, bumping each other as they attempted to move in the enclosed space. The special agent readied his weapons, trying to plan out his advance before the hostiles could close in. Before he made a move, a deafening crash sounded from the doorway at the end of the hall. The zombies reacted to the sound, turning toward its source. Leon glanced back at Evelyn. A second blow to the door splintered it's frame, causing sunlight to stream through in ribbons.

"We need to find a different exit," Kennedy breathed, as he grabbed his companion by the arm and began to run.

A third boom, and the door went flying. Behind it, silhouetted in sunlight was a horrendous giant. Shoulders wider than the doorframe, it bowed its head and turned it's bulk to fit through. Seeing the humans fleeing in the distance, the beast trudged through the mob of infected, smashing them to the side with it's meaty arms. The massive B.O.W.'s body was knots of muscle and writhing appendages. It's small head was nested into bulging traps, beady eyes, darting back and forth.

"What the hell is that!?" Evelyn shrieked as they tore away from the monstrosity at their heels.

"You're asking me?" Leon spat, scanning the area ahead for an escape point.

Signaling, he turned into an open door. He slammed and locked the door before rushing into the next room. Davis followed, directing him to take the following left. Behind them, the sound of the locked door being obliterated increased their sense of urgency. Exiting into yet another hallway, the pair found themselves heading for the building's central rotunda. Knowing how close the exit was, gave them a glimmer of hope. While the room was still populated with the undead, Leon's previous visit had lured many of them away. They dodged the bodies in their path, weaving through toward the exit. Echoing footsteps and the sound of furniture being crushed signaled the approach of their new friend. They neared the double doors of the exit, which were now closed. Kennedy slammed against them, turning both knobs.

"It's locked," he spun around to see their hunter enter the room and set eyes on its prey.

Evelyn stared wide-eyed at her impending doom before turning to run toward the next nearest door. Leon was about to follow suit when he heard scraping marble. The statue in the center of the room began to slide backward, revealing a set of stairs, going down into a basement. The monster stopped it's pursuit as an older man stepped up from below.

"Governor Bluth?" Evelyn stammered in disbelief, slowing her pace.

Leon caught up to her and they took their chance to get out of sight. Following his companion’s stare, he saw a middle-aged man in a grey suit. His salt and pepper hair was creeping away from his forehead, but a subtle comb-over made the shining scalp beneath less noticeable. The governor seemed unbothered by the scene around him. The dead stirred at his presence, but did not bother to pursue him at all. While the older gentleman was somewhat disheveled, he seemed entirely unharmed. The man turned his head when he noticed the colossal beast to his left.

"Michael," he barked in an authoritative tone, "What on earth have you been doing? I've been looking all over for you!" He left the stairway before the statue slid back to conceal the opening.  
The companions, now hiding behind a corner, exchanged puzzled looks. The monster groaned unintelligibly, lowering its head.

"Come along," Bluth commanded. "We have no time to waste."

The unlikely pair walked through the zombies unnoticed and unharmed. One of the infected wobbled too close, and bumped into the mayor, rocking him backward.

"Piece of shit!" He yelled, punching the creature in the side of its face. Leon noted that something fell out of his jacket pocket during the swing.

Kennedy noticed an enemy approaching from behind, quickly and quietly disposing of it. When he put his eyes back on the rotunda, the mayor and his pet had left sight.

"What the hell is happening right now?" Evelyn groaned, holding her head. "Am I trapped in an episode of The Twilight Zone?"

"There are strains of the virus that allow for the infected to discern between friend and foe," Leon explained. "The fact that the mayor isn't being attacked, is a pretty good indication that he's involved in this."

"What about that giant… thing?"

"Pet project?" Leon offered sarcastically. "Stay here. I need to check something."

Leon put down a few more infected while he crossed the room. Most of the undead around him remained unalerted, due to his careful movements. Sure enough, an object lay on the floor near where the governor had scuffled with the zombie. He picked it up and examined it. It was a small medallion, about the size of a fifty-cent piece. On it was a relief of a crown. He looked back to the statue in the center of the room.

"Leon!" Evelyn exclaimed, backing away from a trio of zombies who had taken notice of her.

Kennedy rushed to her aid, putting a bullet in one as he closed distance. The second he took out with a swift kick to the head, sending it flying off the thing's shoulders and into a wall. The last attacker threw itself at Leon, chomping it's teeth.

"Oh, are you hungry?" He asked, sticking the barrel of his gun in it's mouth and pulling the trigger.

The altercation had attracted the attention of the remaining B.O.W.s which were now closing in. More wobbled in from other entrances. Not wanting to waste any more ammo or energy, the former cop began his way to the statue.

"Follow me," he said, waving Davis along.

Upon reaching the marble display, Leon noted the description plaque, "’I will assume the undertaking,’ she said, ‘for my own crown of Castille, and am ready to pawn my jewels to defray the expenses of it, if the funds in the treasury shall be found inadequate,’”he read out loud.

"Now is not the time, Leon," Davis urged, eyes darting back and forth to the approaching undead.

He took the medallion from his jacket pocket and placed it in a small recession beneath the plaque. Unsurprisingly, the statue slid backward once more. The duo hurried down the steps before the infected could catch up. It didn't take long for the mechanism to reverse, returning the structure to its proper place. A zombie reached its arm down just as the stone was reaching it's starting point, smashing the appendage and removing it from its owner.

Evelyn watched the arm flop around for a moment before going still. She was having trouble absorbing the fact that she'd been walking past this secret passage every day without ever knowing of its existence. She looked at Leon, clearly done with the entire situation. "What the fuck is this, National Treasure?"

o-o-o-o-o-o

Ada walked briskly through the capitol building as if she was only there on light business. She didn't bother to take down most of the infected in her path. They were so slow, it was hardly difficult for her to evade them. She was becoming increasingly annoyed. She had hoped her task would be easy, but she was having no luck finding the information she needed. She threw a high kick at a zombie that had dared to come too close. The sound of neck bones cracking was punctuated by the body hitting the floor.

"Where do you keep your secrets, Bluth?"

She heard a commotion from the rotunda and headed to the nearby balcony. Below her, Leon was sprinting across the room with an attractive woman.

"Replaced me so soon?" she asked, knowing he wouldn't hear.

Following behind them was a massive creature, clearly out for blood. Concerned, she looked back to Leon who had stopped at the seemingly locked entrance. Wong raised her gun. This wouldn't be the first time she'd saved the special agent's ass. As she lined up her aim, she heard the grinding of stone on stone. Mayor Bluth emerged from a secret passage in the center of the room.

"Bingo," she said with a sly smile.

She watched Leon and his friend sneak off as the exchange began between the mayor and the creature unfolded. Ada pulled out a small camera, snapping a few shots of the scene below. Her eyes narrowed at the item falling from the man's pocket.

"It really is my lucky day."

She waited for Kennedy and his companion to leave but was instead disappointed to see the man retrieve the mysterious dropped item. She clicked her tongue, wishing she had gotten to it first. The other woman called for help, and Wong was treated to a show of Leon's combat prowess. Miss Wong couldn't deny that she loved watching him work. He truly was a sight to behold. Ada had a lot of respect for his abilities. If she were to be honest with herself, she had a lot of respect for him. The man had wormed his way into what was left of her tiny, broken heart back in Raccoon City, and she had never managed to snuff those feelings out. She did, however, do a great job of pretending they weren't there.

Six months ago, Leon had saved her. She often tried to forget that moment of coming to, with her head in his lap as he begged her to carry on. He had had tears in his eyes. The memory stirred feelings in her that she wasn't prepared to confront. Since that incident, she had actively avoided the man. She had her connections alert her of his mission locations so she could steer clear. The mercenary told herself it was because she couldn't afford to be captured, and his ties to the U.S. government would lead to her demise.

The subject of her thoughts brought Ada back to reality as he shouted at his partner. The two of them ran to the statue, unlocking the mechanism. As they ascended into darkness, Wong assessed the situation, calculating whether she could make it to the entrance before it closed. She clicked her tongue once more, knowing it wasn't going to happen. The statue returned to its original position, with a dozen or so undead, circling the structure.

The raven-haired woman weighed her options. Perhaps there was a copy of the key somewhere around. Depending on how the mechanism worked, she could fake it open somehow. Maybe even make her own duplicate of the key to unlock it. Not to mention, whatever was hidden beneath the tacky display could have one or more alternate exits. Unfortunately, Wong had a mission to accomplish, and it just wouldn’t do to waste time. She arched over the balcony, grappling gun in hand. Launching the hook into a hold above, she lifted a leg, aiming her pointed heel at the face of a zombie. The stiletto sank into the creature's skull. The force of her swing slammed the infected into the opposite wall, crushing its head like a melon. Ada deftly landed away from the corpse, mourning her now disgusting footwear. She gave her foot a shake, grimacing at the gore that splattered from it.

More B.O.W.s approached, and she made quick work of them. She needed the room clear if she was to examine the device properly. Pulling a blade from what seemed like nowhere, she darted to the left, avoiding a grab. Coming up, she embedded the dagger under a zombie's chin, up into its brain. Ripping it back out, she plunged it into another’s eye. Whipping out her silenced gun, she made bullseyes in three foreheads. As more bodies approached, more ended up on the ground. Just as the woman began to work up a sweat, she scanned the room to find she had disposed of the threat entirely.  
“Still got it,” She smirked to herself.

She didn’t bother to avoid the mess on the floor, as she made her way to the statue. A kinder woman might have felt pity for the people the monsters had once been. Kind wasn’t a word many would use to describe Ada Wong. Her heel pressed into a limp body as she stepped over it like a pile of laundry. It squished below her, leaking a fluid she didn’t care to identify. The statue display didn’t look very suspicious. A queen, presumably Isabella, sat in the center, with A man pleading to her left and a boy to her right. The inscription at the bottom made Wong sneer. 

“Typical,” she spat. “A man begs and cries, and it’s always up to the woman to do something about it,” She met the queen’s stone stare. “You should have told him to buzz off.”

She continued to inspect the statuary. Leon must have pocketed the medallion after using it, because only a hollow remained. With a little time and patience, Ada knew she could find a way to get it open. Unfortunately, she was short on both. She placed a device on the front on the statue and began to back away.

“Sorry, Isabella, but I just don’t have time to play with you right now.”

A light on the device began to blink, and Wong lengthened her steps. The light flickered more rapidly, and Ada knew it was time to turn and shield her face. Three shrill beeps pierced the air before the device ignited a small explosion. Chunks of marble shot in all directions. Kicking debris out of the way, the woman made her way to the newly opened exit. What was left of Columbus’s face peered up at her from the floor beside the descending staircase.

“Oh, poor you…” She said with fake sincerity and kicked the bit of stone across the room.

o-o-o-o-o-o


	4. The Dirty Way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Delving deeper into the secret facility. What awaits Leon and Evelyn?

Evelyn trailed behind Leon, taking in her surroundings. The room they were in appeared to be a large storage area. Wooden crates were stacked up to the high ceiling. There were so many, that they had been arranged with paths going between them to the different exits. It felt like a shabby labyrinth. Many were leaking a thick, viscous liquid. Whatever that substance was made of, it stunk to high heaven.

"Something tells me this is where the infection spread from," Leon muttered as he scraped the soul of his shoe against the ground, smearing the goo he had stepped in. He swept the room with his eyes, making mental notes of his surroundings. Bloody feet and handprints indicated that there could be zombies nearby. He kept his ears sharp and his weapons ready. Turning a corner, he came upon a corpse. The gaping hole in it's face indicated that it had previously been put down, Perhaps by Bluth, who had just left this room.

"What do you think was going on down here…?" Evelyn asked, squinting through the dimly lit basement.

"Hard to say for sure, but judging by the smell, these could be filled with medical waste." He stopped to inspect the label on one of the crates, but it held no decipherable information.

"Why would they be keeping it here? And waste from what, exactly?"

"Your guess is as good as mine,"

"If it's medical waste, do you think they've got some sort of underground hospital hidden around here somewhere?" She eyed Leon, "Or are you thinking more around the lines of a mad scientist workshop?"

Kennedy finished reading and looked up. "In my experience, it's usually the latter."

Evelyn sighed deeply. "Great. I'm so glad I work here."

They continued on, spotting what looked to be an office. The frosted window of the door had a bloody handprint smeared across it.

"Wait here," Leon instructed.

"By myself?" the woman asked incredulously.

"Just stay by the door. I'll call you when the room is clear."

"Fine, but don't leave me out here too long. This place is creepy," She eyed her surroundings. "Oh… also be careful," she added as an afterthought.

Leon hid a smirk and furrowed his brow. "Will do."

The agent opened the door slowly, pointing his weapons toward the interior of the room. Evelyn couldn't resist peeking in behind him. He left the door ajar, so she peered in to see what awaited the man. He quickly disappeared into the half of the office that wasn't visible, and the sound of a blade sinking into flesh made Evelyn's teeth clench. The body hit the floor with a sound not unlike a bag of rotten oranges. Assuming the work was done, Davis placed her hand on the door, beginning to open it the rest of the way. Just then, a shadow appeared in the window. The being casting it was promptly smashed against the glass, giving Evelyn the shock of her life. She backed away from the door as it slammed shut. The features of the person looked fuzzy through the frosted pane, but it was clearly no longer human. It slid down out of sight, apparently already dealt with. A muffled grunt followed by a dragging sound preceded the door reopening.

"Clear," Kennedy called, with fresh spatters on his face and coat.

Ignoring the look he was getting, Leon began searching the room. A shabby desk faced the door. Behind it were several filing cabinets. Overall, the room was pretty unassuming. A clipboard on top of a cabinet showed shipping records, but with no indication of what was being shipped. Investigating the files led to nothing as well. Moving onto the desk, Leon found a password locked computer and a disorganized cluster of paperwork. On top was a letter.

Evelyn, who had also begun nosing around the room's contents, stopped what she was doing and approached him. "Anything interesting?"

Leon offered her what he had just read. She took it, skimming over its contents.

Randy, I'm done.

I've told you over and over that the lift was gonna break, and no one listened. How many times did I say, we need to replace the cables before they snap? You're lucky no one got hurt when the whole thing went down. The mess alone was enough of a hazard. It looked like Hell had a snow day when that frozen chum-looking filth exploded all over the bottom of the shaft. You people are running a circus here. Every day, we're getting more and more of these boxes filled with god-knows-what. No one has been to even look at the lift, let alone repair it.

The shit in these crates is absolutely a health hazard. The smell is unbearable. The white coats just keep on sending us more, despite the fact that I've told them we don't have the room for it. Steve and I did what we could to keep it organized, but now there's brown shit leaking out of them. It's getting everywhere. I refuse to work in these conditions a day longer. Steve has already started feeling sick. I've got a rash up my back from being around this disgusting shit. I've been itching all over for three days.

Long story short, you're on your own. I quit. I don't get paid enough to deal with this half-assed science project. And you can shove your non-disclosure agreement right up your asses. I'm telling the press about this. Not just the terrible working conditions, but about your underground "lab" too! Maybe next time you want to be sneaky, you'll remember to treat your confidants with a little more respect!

Sincerely pissed,

Marcus Allen

P.S. Expect to hear from my lawyer.

"Randy… Do you think this is for Governor Bluth?" Evelyn asked.

"One could only assume," Leon answered. "His first name is Randall, right? So, this Marcus guy must be a friend. Or, he was , at least."

"Marcus Allen…" Davis scowled, searching for a thought. "That name sounds so familiar."

Kennedy put a finger to his ear, attempting to contact Hunnigan. "Looks like I can't get a signal down here. I'll have to wait to get any info on him."

"Well, then," Evelyn held out the letter, "what do we do now?"

Leon took the letter back, folding it up and placing it in his pocket. "We look for a way out of here."

"You don't, like… have a job to do here or something? Are you just here to rescue civilians? It doesn't seem that way."

"What makes you say that?" He made his way out of the office.

"I… don't know," Evelyn paused to consider the question. "I would expect a team to come through for that. At least someone in uniform."

"Well, you'd be right," He led them back into the maze of crates. He rounded a corner, gun first. His steps had slowed now that the way forward was littered with hiding places for the creepy and crawly. He suddenly switched to his blade, lunging forward. A squelching sound out of Evelyn's sight set off her mental alarms. Before she could finish intaking air for a gasp, the man had put the creature out of its misery. "Careful," He warned as he stepped around the body, pulling his knife free.

"So, why are you here?"

"That information is classified. Sorry."

"What? Come on! After everything I've been through, you're gonna leave me in the dark?"

"I could really leave you in the dark, if you want to stay here," She couldn't see his face, but the smirk could be heard in his tone.

"That's cold…"

They came to the aforementioned lift. Caution tape was draped across the partially open gate. Leon peered down the shaft. The lack of lighting made it impossible to see the bottom. Looking up, he could see a trace of light. Presumably from an exit above. The walls were smooth, leaving no hand or footholds. There wasn't even a broken cable in place that could be used to climb up. It was a dead end

Shaking his head, Kennedy started off in another direction. The crate maze led them to a door labeled "Storage Closet", but it was locked. After a bit more exploring, the duo came upon a set of descending stairs.

"We're going down further?" Davis asked.

"Did you see any other options?" Leon gestured his hand in the direction of the rest of the warehouse. "We can try going back up through the statue exit, but the front door was locked tight, and that massive B.O.W. is stalking around."

"What if we go deeper and it's a dead end? There could be worse things down there!" Evelyn wrung her hands nervously. "I don't know… I just want to get the hell out of here. I'm not trying to die in some subterranean chop shop."

"Think about it. You never knew this place existed. You've come to work every day, and this has all been going on under your feet for who knows how long. Do you think it would have stayed a secret if people were going in and out through that passage the whole time?" He paused for the woman to consider his argument, "There has to be another way in and out of this facility. That lift was for cargo, not people."

Leon could see the fatigue in the woman's eyes. He reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, "I understand how you're feeling. I was in your shoes once. This is a stressful situation, and you're doing better than most. I just need you to trust me." He locked eyes with the younger woman. "I'll get you out of here."

Evelyn let out a breath. She barely knew this man, but he had certainly shown so far that he knew what he was doing. Before she could agree to his plan, an explosion shook the room. The pair turned their heads in unison. The source seemed to be the entrance they had come in from. Neither of them was keen to find out what had caused the disturbance.

"Okay, I trust you! Let's go!"

The woman bolted down the stairs, with Kennedy on her heels. It was difficult not to imagine that mass of rage and muscles from upstairs chasing behind them. It was unlikely that whatever had caused the damage wanted to be friends. Midway down, Leon managed to take the lead, not wanting his companion to run head first into danger. There was no way to predict what they would be greeted by at the end of the stairs. There were no bodies, living or dead, in the passage, but there was plenty of blood. That was enough to put the man on his guard. They finally reached a steel door. It was unmarked. The card slider to the right of the frame indicated that the way should be locked. Fortunately, something had blocked the door from closing completely. Opening the door the rest of the way revealed that the doorstop had been propped open by the arm of a freshly dead body. So fresh, that Leon even knelt down to check for a pulse. The woman still had a bit of color in her cheeks. Her long black hair fanned out around her. She wore a torn and bloodied lab coat. Around her neck was a lanyard holding an I.D. badge. The magnetic strip on the back indicating it could perhaps be used to gain access to locked doors ahead. He began gently removing the I.D. from around her neck, when a rattling sigh escaped the cadaver's lips.

With unexpected speed, the previously still corpse lunged forward, clutching at Leon's neck and face. Evelyn screamed, and Kennedy tried to twist away from the zombies grasp. In the chaos, his weapons were knocked free from his hands. The agent was brought to one knee as he struggled to remove himself from the death grip of the undead woman. The raven-haired woman brought her face close to his, hissing and gnashing her teeth. It was everything he could do to crane his neck away from her advances.

"Leon!" Evelyn stood with his gun in hand. She widened her stance and straightened her aim,

The tawny haired man put as much distance between his head and the zombie's as he could. He only hoped she wouldn't miss. It would be just his luck to outlive zombies and monsters for all these years only to die from a misaimed shot.

The gun fired, the flash lighting up the small space. The bullet missed, flying just over the creature's head. The sound of the shot echoed loudly.

"Shit!" She cursed, aiming the 9 millimeter once more.

The Zombie swung her head around to stare at Davis. Leon took the opportunity to break free. He rolled backwards out of its grasp, coming up in the room beyond the stairwell. The dead woman began to crawl wildly towards Evelyn who began firing off shots in a panic. Leon quickly scanned his surroundings. His knife was nowhere to be seen, and it seemed his gun was next to useless in his new friend's hands. The room he was in looked like a locker room of some sort. Metal lockers lined one wall, with a couple tables and chairs strewn about. There were no other enemies present, but there also wasn't anything he could see that could be used as an effective weapon.

"I guess I'll have to do this the dirty way." He started for the zombies back and shouted, "Evelyn! Stop firing!"

"Easy for you to say!" She screamed as she back-pedaled up the steps. "This bitch wants to eat me!"

Despite her words, she lowered the weapon. Fear painted her features as she scrambled away. Leon rushed forward. The zombie was still on all fours, lurching it's awkward body up the stairs. Wrapping an arm around the thing's neck, he yanked back. He brought up one knee, pressing it into it's back, then brought his entire weight down on that point, pinning the creature to the steps. The creature screamed as he grasped the side of it's chin with one hand, moving his other to the back of it's head. His hand was uncomfortable close to its mouth as he twisted hard. The scream bubbled into a gurgle as the sound of bones cracking sounded through the air. The body continued to writhe in his arms. It seemed severing the spine wasn't enough. He took a fistful of hair to keep his grip on the thing's head and proceeded to bash it's face against one of the stone steps. One, two, and three times before the twitching stopped. And a fourth for good measure.

Evelyn gaped at the scene before her. The already macabre stairwell was now splattered with even more blood. The special agent had yet to release his foe. He leaned a bit on the body, breathing heavily. His hand was still tangled in it's hair. Davis looked at the gun in her hand, then back to the man who just wrestled an undead monster.

"Are you…?"

"I'm fine," Leon answered curtly, and tried to drop the head, only to find his fingers were stuck in ebony knots. He wriggled his digits free and looked up at the woman still frozen with shock. "Who taught you to fire a gun?"

"No one! Why would I know how to fire a gun? I'm a tour guide, not a commando!" She lowered her head. "I'm… look, I'm sorry. I should have…" she threw up her arms, "I don't even know what I should have done."

"Aim, maybe?" Kennedy shoved the corpse off of himself and stood up.

"I thought I was!" She gestured toward him with her gun arm, "YOU were supposed to be protecting ME! You're the zombie Rambo! I'm just Evelyn. I know things about the capital. I take care of my husband. I play cards. I don't shoot walking nightmares!"

Leon placed his hand on the muzzle of the gun, lowering it. "I'm sorry. You're right. Just… please, don't point that thing at anything still breathing."

"Oh," she nodded sheepishly, "Right."

She handed him back his gun, and he checked the clip. She had wasted six shots, leaving him with 9. He had four full clips on him. He hoped he wouldn't need to face anything fiercer than a zombie during this excursion. He holstered his weapon and knelt over the now incapacitated creature, removing the lanyard from its neck. He pulled the card free and tucked it into a pocket. He had a feeling it would come in handy later. The only thing to do now was press onward.

"Alright, let's go," He said with a nod and Evelyn followed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for being so patient! I finally got the new chapter up! I would love some critiques. Also ideas and suggestions. I have a general idea of where things are going, but I haven't quite filled out all the gaps in the story yet, so I'd love some ideas! I've been watching all the Resident Evil movies, and some game cutscene "movies" on youtube. I just love this series so much, and Leon is just so... *swoon* I want him to be happy, but I keep tormenting him in this story. Hopefully I can give him some happy scenes soon.


	5. Target Practice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little break, followed by shooting lessons.

Evelyn rested at a small table while Leon checked out what appeared to be an employee break room. She had found a few protein bars in the small employee kitchen, and consumed them like they were the first thing she'd eaten in days. Which was the case. A TV mounted on the wall played the news. They were covering the events that had transpired in the capital. As usual, they cycled through disturbing footage, while spouting speculation and little facts. She zoned out, staring at the television, no longer hearing the words coming from the speakers. She snapped out of it when a towel hit the side of her head.

"Use that to clean yourself up," said Kennedy as he grabbed a second towel from an open locker.

The agent wiped his face and neck, scowling at the filth her left on the cloth. Moving on to his arms, he resumed checking the lockers for anything of use. It was all clothing and personal items. Davis got up and went to the small sink in the kitchenette tucked away in the corner of the room. She wet the towel and got to work scrubbing off the grime. Leon watched her for a moment. It was clear she was nearing the end of her rope. She was obviously exhausted physically as well as mentaly. He knew he needed to get her out of here as soon as possible. There was also the issue of his mission. The resignation letter he had pocketed provided some insight into what had happened here, but it wasn't enough. There had to be more. He only hoped Bluth hadn't had time to hide his tracks.

Evelyn walked to an open locker, examining the clothes hanging inside it. "Turn around," she instructed, "I'm gonna change into something… less disgusting."

"Right," the man obeyed, spinning to face the wall. Not wanting the awkwardness to win, he started talking. "You said you're married? What's your husband like?"

The woman chuckled. "Derrick? He's a big dork. Can't do anything without me." She stepped out of her torn skirt, tossing it to the side. "He's probably worried sick right now…"

"Don't worry, you'll see him again," Leon assured her.

"I hope so. If I don't, he'll hunt you down," she laughed, "And cry all over you."

It was Leon's turn to snort out a little laugh. "So, he's a softy, eh?"

"Big time," the tour guide smiled and buttoned a pair of slightly too-big jeans, "but that's what I love about him. When we were dating, we'd stay up all night just talking. He would write me songs and even poetry. He tells me every day that I'm the best thing to ever happen to him. I'd tell you our proposal story, but you'd probably throw up." She pulled on a purple t-shirt with a picture of a cartoon panda on it. "You can turn around."

Leon turned back to the final lockers he'd yet to check. "You'll have to tell me the story after we get out of here." The last locker was locked, so he used his knife to pry it open. There was a small box at the bottom. He opened the latch and popped it open. "Bingo."

He picked up a Glock 19, and checked the clip. It was full. He held it out to Evelyn. "Here, take this."

Davis hesitated, "Are you sure about that? You saw how useless I was before."

"That's why I'm going to teach you how to use it." The man stepped closer, and began pointing out and explaining the important features on the weapon. "The most important thing to remember is to keep your finger off the trigger unless you're ready to fire, and keep the barrel pointed down."

Davis exhaled, and nodded. "And, you aim with these little thingies?"

"Yes, you aim with the sights," Leon confirmed, suppressing a grin. "Point the gun," he guided her arms, "Keep your arms straight," he nudged her elbow, "And line up your sights. Aim for the 'in' on that poster."

She followed his instructions and pointed the gun at the cheesy poster across the room. A kitten clung to a branch with the words "Hang in there!" written across the top in a goofy font. Leon stepped in close behind her and gently redirected her aim, his face uncomfortably close to her ear. She loved her husband with all her heart, but she'd be a liar if she said she didn't find the mysterious agent attractive. She let out a breath and pushed the intrusive thought from her mind. From what she could tell, her shot was lined up pretty well.

"Go ahead and shoot," he said as he stepped back, exiting her personal bubble.

Resisting the urge to close her eyes, she pulled the trigger. The shot rang out, loud enough to make her ears ring. The kick made her arms bounce up. She had fired Leon's gun before, but at the time she hadn't been able to really pay attention to anything but the fiend trying to bite her face off. This time, she could smell the gunpowder and feel the slight tingling going up her arms from the recoil. She was disappointed to see that she hadn't hit the spot in between the i and the n as she had hoped. There was a bullet hole about 4 inches to the upper left of where she had aimed.

"Much better," Kennedy said with a pat on the shoulder. "You don't need to be a perfect shot. Just make sure you take the time to aim. It's easy to fire blindly when you're in a panic, but it won't do you any good to waste ammo. Better to spend a few seconds to make a good shot than to lose three bullets making an okay one."

"Uh… yeah, right." Evelyn lowered the gun awkwardly.

"Don't fire unless you need to. The sound will attract more B.O.W.s. Leave it to me to take these things out. Only shoot if there's no other option," he paused, then added, "and don't forget to keep the safety on."

She nodded and looked at the piece in her hand. She felt like she was in some alternate reality. She'd never dreamed she'd ever hold a gun, let alone fire it.

"Okay, let's keep moving." Leon made for the door at the end of the room and immediately realized it was locked. There was a keypad next to it, but no slider. "Dammit."

"It needs a code?"

"Yeah, let's look around here one more time. Maybe we'll find something."

The pair each started at one end of the lockers, checking them thoroughly. At the third one, Leon noticed a note taped to the inside of the door. It read only "John + Samantha = Door"

"Look at this," he held up the note.

"What is that supposed to mean? Is that some kind of code?"

"Beats me." Leon looked around the room, hoping for some kind of clue. "Let's keep looking."

A few moments later, Evelyn called out, "Leon, look at this!" She was holding an I.D.. It belonged to John Remington.

Taking the card, Leon examined it, "Could it be the birthday?"

"What about the locker number?" Evelyn suggested, closing the door to reveal a 12 on its front.

"If that's the case, we need to find Samantha."

The two set to work with renewed motivation. They tore apart locker after locker, with no hint of Samantha.

"I'm not seeing any other I.D.s or anything else that points to this Samantha," Evelyn said after slamming another locker shut.

"I found a dress in locker 18," Leon offered half-heartedly.

"Let's try it." Davis walked to the door and entered 1218 on the pad. It beeped and the sound of a lock clicking open brought a grin to her face. "It worked!"

"Well, I'll be damned…" The man joined her at the door, turning the knob. "Good work, Evelyn. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you've done this before."

She smiled sheepishly, "I play a lot of escape room games on my phone."

The man shook his head and grinned.

"Thank god Samantha has style," Evelyn mused. "I should have checked her locker first." She tugged at the bottom of her brightly colored shirt.

Leon opened the door, wary of what lay beyond it. A trio of undead proved his intuition correct. The man quickly put down the enemy while Davis hung back in the break room. She followed him in upon hearing him shout, "Clear!" following a series of other alarming sounds. This room was much larger than the last. Rows of desks held computers and dual screen monitors. Filing cabinets lined one wall. Out of context, one would think it was an ordinary office. Maybe a bit on the small side, but nothing aside from the dead bodies on the ground made alarm bells go off. Kennedy was already attempting to log into a computer as the tour guide made her way into the room. He tapped away furiously, his expression that of frustration.

"No good," he spat, "someone's already wiped them." He moved to another to confirm it was true for the whole office.

Evelyn opened a filing cabinet. It was empty. She tried several others, seeing similar results. "I think Bluth beat you to the punch."

Leon slammed a fist down on the keyboard he had been using. "Dammit!"

"What exactly are you looking for?" Davis asked.

"I told you, that's classified."

"I figure it's either proof that Bluth did this…" She slid her hand across the top of the filing cabinets as she walked, "or you're after his research for yourself. Or your superiors, I guess."

Leon's face grew deadly serious. "I can assure you that I don't want anything to do with what happened here. I'd be more than happy to see this place go up in flames, research with it."

Evelyn held up her hands in a gesture of defeat. "Okay, okay, sorry! You can stop glaring at me now." She smiled slyly, "Does that mean my first guess was right?"

"Believe what you want," Leon said as he began a cursory search of the remainder of the room.

"Jeez, touchy…"

There were two doors leading forward. One was labelled "Manager." Leon swung the door open recklessly, letting his sour mood lower his guard. Immediately, a B.O.W. in a grey suit bursted from the room. The creature latched onto him before he had time to raise his weapons. The agent twisted his body away from gnashing jaws. He was able to free one arm, using that hand to press against the thing's chest, putting some space between them. Evelyn realized this was her time to step in. She pulled the gun out from where she had tucked it into the back of her waistband, doing her best to remain calm as the man and creature wrestled back and forth. Raising the gun, she aimed carefully. The two forms jostled back and forth, making it difficult to make the shot. Leon twisted his body partially free, and Davis took her opportunity. Exhaling, she pulled the trigger. And nothing happened.

Leon heard the click, his eyes resting on the weapon, apparently only just realizing Evelyn had been about to use it. "The safety!" He shouted before spinning his body into a roundhouse kick.

The zombie let out a grunt as it was launched backwards into a wall. Evelyn quickly released the safety, and levelled her aim once more. The creature seemed to notice her for the first time. It locked onto her as it started to scramble upright. Davis held her breath and pulled the trigger once more. This time she was rewarded with a loud bang as the bullet screamed toward it's target. The round connected just above the thing's right eye. Gore exploded from the wound, painting the wall behind it. The undead office worker dropped to the floor, limp and lifeless.

Evelyn stared at the corpse, and then her smoking weapon. Her eyes were wider than dinner plates. She turned to Leon, and broke out in an astonished grin. "I did it! Did you see that? I really shot it!"

Kennedy tried and failed to hide a smile. The woman's genuine pride and happiness were practically tangible. "Good job, Davis. Maybe next time you'll manage it on your first shot."

She waved off his thinly veiled criticism. "Say what you will, but I'd say I did pretty damn good for someone who never even SAW a gun before today!"

The brunette chuckled. "You're right. You did good." He slapped her on the back. "Now, let's get the hell out of here."

o-o-o-o-o

Apologies for the short chapter. Also, let me know if you think it was a bit slow. I thought we could use a little lull to include some character interaction. I'd love to know what you think.


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